There were multiple reports Sunday that the Oakland Raiders are shopping Amari Cooler and Karl Joseph. The 1-5 Raiders are in a rebuild. I’m not sure trading a 24-year-old receiver and a 25-year-old safety – who were the No. 4 overall pick and No. 14 overall pick in 2015 and 2016, respectively – is what
Gruden says he doesn’t know anything about trading Cooper – based on recent track record, Amari should be packing bags and contacting a realtor:
Gruden says (gist, not quotes):
Khalil Mack is our best player, we will do everything to get him back…
Amari Cooper is the centre-piece of our offense…
Gareon Conley, you can see why he was a #1 pick….
I like working with Reggie, nobody can dislike Reggie McKenzie
Gruden means:
Won’t even talk to Mack and will trade him with a draft pick to make it attractive…
Amari who?
Gareon who?
Reggie who?
Never as straightforward as listening to what he says – have to watch what happens a few weeks later…. mind you he has spent a lot of time talking up KO, Rodney Hudson and Derek Carr: must be telling the truth huh guys?
I’m not ready to give up on Cooper. However, I would be if he’s asking for $15M per year in a new contract. I don’t think he’s a #1 receiver.
Joseph? I’d be willing to shop him. He’s just too small. Another Reggie pick that never materialized.
Neither player lived up to the hype.
If Gruden has determined all he needs to know about both players and that neither player fits his team going forward, get something for them if possible.
More and more and more and more draft picks.
This is a complete rebuild and it will be 3-5 seasons before we see the playoffs. In case some have forgotten, Gruden has a 10 year contract. MD stepped in and got the coach he wanted. I don’t see him pulling the plug especially after LETTING Gruden get rid of our best player since Charles Woodson.
Raiders asking for a first for Cooper, per Rotoworld…
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports the Raiders are seeking a first-round pick in exchange for Amari Cooper.
It’s safe to say they’re not going to get it based on Cooper’s inconsistency and Week 6 concussion. Nevertheless, this is further confirmation Jon Gruden is aiming to tear apart the organization after trading Khalil Mack and dangling 2016 first-round S Karl Joseph. Gruden even benched 2017 first-round CB Gareon Conley last week. Cooper was in-limbo GM Reggie McKenzie’s 2015 first-round pick. Mack was McKenzie’s first-rounder in 2014.
I may be biased because I now live in Alabama and am force fed the Roll Tide hype train, but I think Cooper can be a stud, even still. I’m down on Carr making him productive. If Amari leaves and becomes what we expected him to be, that’s on the Raiders. Throw the man the ball, down the damn field, and allow him to make plays. If you aren’t going to do that much then he isn’t worth the salary they will have to pay to retain him.
Not sure how Gruden went from he was open a few times, we had plays called for him (but didn’t get him the ball), etc. to gotta trade this guy. The more that this season (and last season) goes south the more I am thinking that the problem may be Carr and not all of these other players. Carr needs a pristine pocket to be really good and is unwilling (or incapable) of improvising to make plays. I think it would be another bad idea to trade Cooper. But, it appears that Gruden is giving up on this year (and next year, and the year after that).